1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to desalination and potable water production and, more specifically, to an integrated reverse osmosis/pressure retarded osmosis system configured for treating and managing high salinity oilfield water.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, a by-product of oil production is water with a significantly high salinity content. Such water cannot normally be discharged into the ocean for fear that the high salinity content of the water may increase the salinity content of the ocean waters and adversely affect the aquatic environment. Further, due to the high salinity content, this water is too salty for either human consumption or agricultural use. Desalination, therefore, can be used to dispose such water safely into the environment and/or convert it into usable potable water.
Operation of conventional distillation and reverse osmosis plants to desalinate waters with extremely high salinity, such as salinities prevalent in oilfield waters, can be difficult. The configuration of the typical distillation and reverse osmosis plants currently in use limits how such systems can be used for desalting such high salinity waters.
Thus, an integrated reverse osmosis/pressure retarded osmosis system solving the aforementioned problems is desired.